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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24516013">Meet Cute</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jael/pseuds/Jael'>Jael</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops &amp; Cafés, Coffee Shops, F/M, First Meetings, Leonard changed things in Blood Ties, Meet-Cute, Secret Identity</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-20 07:01:34</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,260</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24516013</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jael/pseuds/Jael</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It's Sara's first day at CC Jitters. And there's this annoying--if hot--guy who won't put down his phone...<br/>(This is a retake on "Holiday Jitters" with new material, upcoming chapters, and secret identities. I hope.)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>CaptainCanary - Relationship, Sara Lance/Leonard Snart</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>48</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. One</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hi, folks. I'm sorry I haven't been around much. It's been a seriously stressful few months, and I just haven't had the energy, time, or inspiration to write (or even read much fic). I know I have other stories to finish (and I have every intention to do so!) but I finally got this one going, and I'm honestly just glad to be writing at all. The first chapter is a retool of "Holiday Jitters," but further ones are all new.</p><p>Hope you're all well and safe. Many thanks to Pir8grl and LarielRomeniel for reading this for me.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Sara decided she needed a change of scenery from Star City, it seemed to make sense to make it Central. Her mom lived there, after all, and it wasn’t like the city was unfamiliar with the presence of vigilante/hero types. Not since the particle accelerator thing, anyway.</p><p>But even a hero needed some way to make ends meet—and the work she was doing with the martial arts studio and the women’s shelter didn’t pay much. So, here she was, standing in the employee coatroom at CC Jitters with her new friend Kendra and preparing to take on her first shift as kinda-a-barista.</p><p>It couldn’t be that different from working as a bartender. Right?</p><p>Kendra, whom Sara had met because she volunteered at the shelter, laughed as Sara determinedly plopped her fuzzy red and white Santa hat on her head. “Don’t look so unnerved,” she chided good-naturedly, reaching out to grab her nametag and handing Sara her own. “I’ve been seen you hand grown men three times your size their asses. What’s to fear at a coffee shop?”</p><p>Sara, attaching the tag, considered responses, then went with the truth, though she knew her friend wouldn’t understand all the background. “It’s just so…normal…”she sighed, glancing out toward the front of the shop. “And I…”</p><p>Her voice trailed off, but Kendra, bless her, just nodded. She didn’t know the full story, but Sara had danced around the edges enough when explaining her supposed martial arts training that she knew Sara had been in some not-so-normal situations, with a not-so-normal background.</p><p>“You’ll be fine,” she said gently, touching Sara’s elbow. “Now, let’s get out there. Oakley’s been on their feet since 5 a.m., and Amanda needs to get more baked goods in the ovens.”</p><p>And Sara took a deep breath. Nodded. And followed her friend out to deal with that most erratic of opponents—the public.</p><hr/><p>A few hours later, Sara had to admit, it wasn’t going too badly. Not nearly as badly as she’d feared, anyway. The customers had been nice enough, the regulars welcoming in their own way, and while Sara deferred to Kendra to make the more high-octane espresso drinks, she’d put her own spin on a few simpler things in a way that had been well received.</p><p>As the morning rush subsided (but before the lunch rush began), Sara took a deep breath, then turned, grinning at Kendra. The rush of triumph, she’d admit, was a little unexpected.</p><p>“I,” she pronounced with satisfaction, “actually liked that. And I think it’s going well.”</p><p>Kendra smiled back. “Well,” she said, starting to clear a space of the back counter, “it’s only partway through your first day. But you’re doing great.”</p><p>Sara heard the door open behind her, then, but didn’t turn around just yet. “Well, I know I’m not working too many hours here, but it’s just nice to be…”</p><p>She turned around mid-sentence and paused.</p><p>The man walking toward her…well, he caught the eye. Her particular eye, at least. Just something about him, a way of moving, grace and power despite his lean build.</p><p>Tall…yes. All in black, slacks and a sweater. Old enough for the close-cropped hair to be all salt-and-pepper, but definitely not in an unappealing way.</p><p>All this observation was in a heartbeat as he strolled up to the counter—unerringly, despite the fact that he hadn’t looked up from his phone once. Sara moved toward him, hearing Kendra say…something…behind her, torn between an unexpected attraction and irritation at the man’s focus on his tech.</p><p>“Can I help you?” she asked, trying to keep both from her tone.</p><p>He…muttered something. In a low, incredibly sexy voice, sure, but still muttered. Unintelligibly.</p><p>Sara kept her cool. “Pardon?”</p><p>Another mutter. His brow furrowed, Mr. Rude Hottie tapped his phone again. Was he sending a <em>text</em>?</p><p>So much for cool. Sara snorted.</p><p>“You know,” she said, placing her hands on the counter and leaning forward, ignoring Kendra making choking noises from behind her. “This would be a lot easier if you put that thing away and actually <em>looked</em> at me.”</p><p>The words—or the tone, or both—got through. Startled, the man glanced up at her.</p><p>Ooh. Oh, those were <em>beautiful</em> blue eyes. Sara kept her face stony, though, unable to regret her tart tone.</p><p>“It’s OK,” she finally registered Kendra saying behind her. “I know…”</p><p>But the man put the phone down, on the counter. He even pushed it aside, toward the pick-up area, giving Sara his full attention.</p><p>And…whoa. That full attention, complete with intent blue eyes and slight smile/smirk, was apparently enough to send a ripple of attraction through her in a way she hadn’t felt in rather a long time. Sara kept it from showing, she thought, and gave him a cool smile in return.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” the man actually said, in that voice, sounding fairly sincere. “I was being rude.” A pause. “I’m here regularly enough that I’m generally on autopilot. I apologize.”</p><p>Well, then. Sara tipped her head toward him as Kendra sighed behind her. “Thank you,” she acknowledged. “Now, what can I get you?”</p><p>Those blue eyes crinkled at the corners. “Just a coffee. The dark roast. One cream.”</p><p>“I got it,” Kendra volunteered, and Sara let her, content to continue her mutual inspection with the customer.</p><p>He glanced away first, eyes flickering toward the small chalkboard sign Sara had set out with her new creations. “Peppermint mocha, eh?”</p><p>“It’s good,” Sara informed him, wondering if he was a purist. One of those often-snotty “flavored coffee drinks are the work of the devil” types.</p><p>A shrug. “It sounds good,” he acknowledged. “Will admit, though, every one of those I’ve tried have been far too sweet for my taste.”</p><p>Ah. A challenge. Sara perked up.</p><p>“Try it out,” she informed him, turning aside. “On me. If you don’t like it…”</p><p>A good enough conclusion doesn’t come to mind. So, at the man’s chuckle, she merely reaches out to grab a cup. “Your name?”</p><p>The eyes crinkle again. “Len.”</p><p>“Len.” Sara writes it on the cup with a flourish, resisting the thoroughly inexplicable urge to add her number. “Got it. Give me just a minute.”</p><p>She lets Kendra take his money for the plainer coffee, focusing on the drink she’s making. Dark roast coffee instead of the more-often-used breakfast blend, dark chocolate syrup instead of the sweeter milk chocolate. Just a splash of cream. Enough peppermint to taste, but not enough to overwhelm. A mere sprinkle of the crushed candy canes they kept on the side.</p><p>With a grin, she moved to the pick-up counter, where this Len was waiting, other coffee in hand, leaning against the surface in a casual slouch. He put the other cup down and took the drink with a lifted eyebrow and the shadow of a smile, raising it in a toast to her before he took a sip.</p><p>The mobile eyebrows both went up. Sara resisted the desire to pump her fist and cheer.</p><p>“This <em>is</em> good,” he said, looking down at it, then up at her again. “Thank you…Sara.”</p><p>Right. Her nametag. Sara kept herself from shivering at the way he said the name. “Welcome,” she told him, leaning on the counter herself, angled toward him. “Sorry. Just the first one’s free.”</p><p>That got a chuckle. He took another sip, eyes on hers. “So, it going to be a regular menu item now?”</p><p>There was something in the question that led Sara to think he was asking about more than the drink. (And Kendra’s giggle from behind her backed that up.)</p><p>“When I’m here anyway,” she said easily, watching him. “Which will be mid- to late mornings, a few days a week, anyway. At least through the holidays.”</p><p>He tipped his head toward her again at the information, straightening from the slouch. “Good to know.” There was a pause…and then Len turned for the door with one last glance. “Thanks again, Sara.”</p><p>She stuffed down the flicker of disappointment. “Nice to meet you, Len.”</p><hr/><p>Leonard Snart was a busy man. He hadn’t really meant to be rude. He was just…distracted.</p><p>Juggling a security business with other…extracurricular…activities could get hectic, after all. He’d been out so late last night that he’d gotten an even later start than usual, and he’d had texts that were both business related and <em>extracurricular</em> related. He wasn’t precisely a chatty or social guy at the best of times, and the folks at Jitters knew him. He had, perhaps, presumed a bit too much.</p><p>Until he’d heard a new and slightly biting voice, and glanced up into a pair of sharp, bright blue eyes.</p><p>Smiling a little, Len took a sip from the unexpectedly delicious peppermint mocha as he sauntered down the street away from Jitters. The other drink was certainly getting cold, but he could reheat that when he got to his office. It wasn’t so far away, after all. Maybe he’d even go back later…though she’d said she’d be working mornings…</p><p>Len was so busy examining his unexpected interest in the new barista that he was nearly all the way to the end of the block before he realized. <em>Crap</em>.</p><p>He’d left his phone back at Jitters. His phone, full of information (though couched in rather coded language) about various activities that just anybody really shouldn’t see. All because he’d gotten distracted by…</p><p>“Len!”</p><p>Blinking, Leonard turned to see Sara hurrying down the sidewalk after him. She’d pulled on a coat, but the snowflakes drifting down from the sky were collecting on her golden hair…and his phone was in her hand.</p><p>He shook off a feeling of relief, stepping back toward her to take it.</p><p>Sara grinned at him. “I yelled at you a few times, but you seemed to be a little lost in thought,” she said, relinquishing the device. “Sorry. I didn’t notice until you were well out the door.”</p><p>“No, thank <em>you</em>.” Len studied her, then nodded, giving in to an impulse. “You working tomorrow?”</p><p>“No.” She looked a little regretful, putting her hands in her pockets and studying him in return. “But I will be the next day.”</p><p>“Good.” Len pocketed the phone. “Gotta get to work. Thanks again…Sara.”</p><p>“Welcome, Len.” She waited, then, until he was a few more paces down the street. “If you miss me at Jitters on Wednesday…well, you have a way to reach me.”</p><p>Len paused. Then he turned, watching Sara walk away, back toward the coffeeshop. And then he pulled out the phone.</p><p>There was a new contact added: “Sara—Jitters.”</p><p>Huh.</p><p>A smile crossed his face. Maybe she hadn't thought he'd been <em>that</em> rude, after all.</p><hr/><p>Sara knew she had a big smile on her face when she ducked back into Jitters—and it only grew when Kendra, who’d been watching the counter, caught her eye and rolled her own eyes.</p><p>“You work here all of four hours,” she said, shaking her head and wiping down the counter, “and you hit it off with Mr. Tall, Distracted, and Handsome there.”</p><p>Sara winked at her, going back behind the counter and shrugging off her jacket, taking it back to hang it up. “He <em>is</em> a regular?” she asked, coming back out and casting an eye toward the clock. “ ‘Cause…damn.”</p><p>She didn’t bother telling Kendra that she’d put her number into Len’s phone. It might have been a stupid thing to do, but…well. It’d been a long time before she’d felt that kind of spark.</p><p>The other woman nodded. “Yup,” she confirmed, then paused to refill a mug for a regular before continuing. “Actually…small world…you’ve probably nearly bumped into him at the shelter a few times. Maybe his sister, too.”</p><p>At Sara’s inquiring look, Kendra continued further. “Last name’s Snart,” she said, reaching over to straighten out the baked goods case. “He owns a security company—testing, systems, occasionally personnel-related stuff, etc. Very occasionally, even bodyguard work.” She smirked a little as Sara perked up even more. “He’s got a bit of a rep…willing to take protection gigs others won’t. Cases with powerful people against them. And…” A pause. “Pro bono work for the shelter. Protection. Security systems. Any number of things.”</p><p>Sara shook her head, even more impressed. “Huh. What’s the background there?”</p><p>Kendra hesitated. “Well,” she said finally, leaning on the counter. “I’ve only heard talk…you know.”</p><p>Sara widened her eyes, leaning closer, and her friend giggled, then sighed. “Apparently his dad was a piece of work,” she said, lowering her voice. “Dirty cop. Dragged his son along on jobs when the kid was less than 10, for electrical work, stuff like that.”</p><p>“So…”</p><p>“So Snart got started young. And eventually….” Kendra nibbled her lip. “Well. It got bad, from what I’ve heard. The older Snart and his gang, they had some success, and then they weren’t even trying to be careful anymore.” She lowered her voice. “People died.”</p><p>She shook her head at the look on Sara’s face. “It wasn’t the boy…Snart. I mean, I guess he was in the middle of a lot of it, but he was still a kid, you know? And then the older Snart and his gang were holding some bank up and the cops actually got the drop on them. He was only…9? Nine, I think.” Kendra sighed. “The jerk tried to use his kid as a shield.”</p><p>Sara’s stomach roiled. But even as she tried to find words, the front door opened, a chattering group of college students entering, and the lunch rush was on.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Two</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After her first shift at Jitters was done—with, amazingly, no blood shed and no property damaged, Sara thought whimsically, hanging up her apron—she waited for Kendra to finish her own routine before the two woman walked out the employee door together, into the lightly falling snow.</p>
<p>She was within walking distance, while Kendra just had a short ride on the CC bus system, and there was no way Sara was letting her friend get away yet.</p>
<p>“So, what happened?” she asked as Kendra started to bid her farewell. “With Snart?”</p>
<p>Kendra blinked. “Oh.” She gave Sara a sad smile, brushing snow off her dark hair before she pulled a winter hat on over it. “The cops weren’t taking chances. They had a sharpshooter. And…well, once the DA found out about the reign of terror Lewis Snart had over his pregnant wife and his son, the boy was never charged in any of the heists.”</p>
<p>Sara closed her eyes, a pang of sympathy for a man she’d barely met running through her. “There’s a sister, you said?”</p>
<p>“Mmhmm. Lisa Snart. She does legal work for the shelter.” Kendra smiled a little. “You’ll like her too. She takes no shit.” She started for her bus stop, Sara trailing along. “I actually know her a little better. Her brother pretty much raised her.”</p>
<p>“Huh.” Sara considered. “Interesting. Thanks.”</p>
<p>“Put your number in his phone?” Kendra’s voice was so innocent that it took Sara a moment to register the words. Her friend laughed out loud at the look on her face.</p>
<p>“I can’t blame you,” she said, sidestepping a couple and their pair of great danes. “He’s not my type, but those were some sparks.”</p>
<p>Sara can’t deny that, so she doesn’t try. Still… “I have a lot going on right now,” she said regretfully. “I probably shouldn’t be doing anything like this.”</p>
<p>“Oh, I don’t know, I think this might be actually what you need.” Kendra giggled as Sara swatted at her playfully. “I’ll see you in a few days, unless we’re both at the shelter before that.”</p>
<p>“Sounds good.”</p>
<p>“And I expect to hear if you hear from Tall, Distracted, and Handsome.”</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>Leonard would admit that he was tempted to call Sara from Jitters back sooner rather than later. But when he got into the office, Mick was already there, frowning at his computer screen, and Len decided not to invite the good-natured ragging he’d get if he made the call.</p>
<p>Instead, he set down the cups, both empty and full, on his desk, nodded to his friend and employee and now partner, and turned on his computer.</p>
<p>“Snart,” Mick acknowledged gruffly.</p>
<p>“Mick.”</p>
<p>There were days he wondered what would have happened if he’d met Mick Rory earlier. It could have happened so easily, really. If Lewis hadn’t gotten so overconfident after the stupid emerald thing when Len had still been barely a preschooler, and then gotten himself killed after that rotten five years he’d pretty much ruled the city, things could have gone much differently.</p>
<p>(He still remembered the words from that odd man who’d come to the house, the one who’d given Lewis the emerald, although not what he’d looked like. That was foggy.)</p>
<p>At any rate, Len hadn’t met Mick until after he was out of college, the proud possessor of an advanced electrical engineering degree and the new owner of Winter Security. And he’d stubbornly decided to hire someone who hadn’t been as lucky as he’d been, in so many ways. Someone who had the skills and know-how…but the record, too.</p>
<p>A mutual friend had led him to Mick Rory. Arsonist and thief. Writer and survivor. Leonard had offered him the job; Mick, after initial hesitation, had taken it. The rest was history.</p>
<p>“This job is bugging me,” his friend told him seriously, looking up. “Something’s off. You sure about the dude who owns this company?”</p>
<p>Len considered. “Mostly. What do you mean?”</p>
<p>Mick, at this point a full partner, knew he can speak freely. “Feels like he’s trying to use us.” He tapped at his computer. “Not entirely sure why. Something’s…off.” He glanced up. “I think it’s the way he’s dodging the whole meta thing.”</p>
<p>The other man was is one of very few that knew…well, one of Leonard’s secrets. He paused.</p>
<p>“If you think so,” he said slowly, “do a deeper dive. I can put him off.”</p>
<p>Mick brightened a little. “Yeah? OK.” He eyes Len. “You all right, boss?”</p>
<p>“Peachy.” Len subsided into his chair. “Really.” He took a drink of the cold coffee, grimaced, and then rose to take it to the microwave. “Still chasing down a few things at that other case. And thinking about the details on the Wayne Central building.”</p>
<p>Mick made a thoughtful noise. “Those are some…interesting details.”</p>
<p>And he wasn’t even privy to all of them. Len poured the coffee into a battered “World’s Okayest Brother” mug and put it into the microwave. Waste not, want not. Especially with good coffee.</p>
<p>“That they are,” he mused, watching the turntable move. Thinking about details. And secrets. And connections. “Should be an interesting job.” Retrieving the coffee, he sauntered back to the desk, taking a seat--and glancing at his phone again.</p>
<p>She was probably still working, right? It was far too early to consider calling Sara. Or even texting.</p>
<p>Len glanced away, back to his computer screen, as he noticed Mick’s curious gaze. The other man knew him far too well.</p>
<p>“You sent out the final report on the credit union, right?” he asked.</p>
<p>“Yeah. And…”</p>
<p>And so the next few hours passed, quiet only interrupted with the minutia of business and the back-and-forth of two relatively like minds. Len didn’t think he looked at his phone too much, not really, though he couldn’t help thinking of the intriguing woman he’d met earlier.</p>
<p>Or maybe he had.</p>
<p>“You gotta hot date or something?”</p>
<p>He yanked his gaze away from the screen. “What?”</p>
<p>Mick smirked at him. “You’re distracted, boss. You keep looking at that thing. Like…” He paused, blinking. “Wait. <em>Do</em> you have a hot date?”</p>
<p>It’s valid. For all their differing identities, it’s come down to much the same lifestyle: Mick was aromantic and asexual, while Len, who was pansexual, was still so cautious as to be very nearly celibate. If he were to admit it, he heard that low voice saying “don’t ever let anyone hurt you” every time he thought of … looking for more. And that was OK, that was his own tendency anyway, so…</p>
<p>“Maybe,” he blurted, surprising even himself. “Ah. Not yet. I….”</p>
<p>“<em>Potential</em> hot date?” Mick sat straight up. “Snart. What’s going on?”</p>
<p>Len glared at him, at a loss to do anything else. It wasn’t like anything was certain, after all. He had…a number. And the image of a sly smile and bright eyes that wouldn’t go away. And…</p>
<p>“Nothing,” he said a bit harshly. “Just…nothing.”</p>
<p>“Uh huh.” Mick studied him. “Don’t believe you. But…” He shrugged. “You don’t wanna tell me, fine. I’ll figure it out eventually.”</p>
<p>“Mick…” Len struggled, briefly, with guilt.</p>
<p>“S’OK, Snart.” His friend’s gaze was steady. “Tell me sometime?”</p>
<p>“Promise.” Len looked down at his phone again. “I…kinda have plans this evening, anyway.”</p>
<p>“Plans? Huh. Oh…<em>plans</em>.”</p>
<p>“Indeed.”</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>The rest of Sara’s day was uneventful. She showered again—just to get the smell of coffee out of her nose—then napped a bit, since she’d had such a relatively early (for her) start to her day. Then she unpacked a few more things and had a light dinner.</p>
<p>And then the sun went down.</p>
<p>Full dark found her, clad in still-unfamiliar white, perched on a downtown building, watching for trouble.</p>
<p>She could have wrangled a much more typical (for her, anyway) introduction to the Flash, but that hadn’t seemed quite right, even with certain personal connections. She was pretty sure Laurel or Oliver had already let their counterparts know she was here. And Sara felt any intro should be done fully in character.</p>
<p>So. Here she was. In an area of Central City likely to draw police attention at some point tonight, and hopefully that of the Flash.</p>
<p>Well, it seemed like a good idea at the time.</p>
<p>Central City wasn’t that different from Star City, in some ways. Certain areas were going to attract certain people, no matter what. And certain trouble.</p>
<p>And…there.</p>
<p>She heard the cries first—alarm and anger but not real fear, so probably something stolen or the like rather than a real attack. She was just as happy with that. Instinct and experience let her judge their location and the direction certain sounds were moving from the main club drag, and…</p>
<p>The newly named White Canary <em>flew</em>.</p>
<p>Sara burned a lot of the momentum in long-practiced parkour skills, catching at rails as she hurtled down past the fire escape, landing behind the running thief by only a stride or two. She lashed out at him with her bo, tripping him and sending him sprawling face-first to the pavement in a completely unexpected tumble.</p>
<p>Ouch. No, not a pro, this one.</p>
<p>She’d give him this, though; he wasn’t stunned enough not to try to promptly struggle back up to his feet, swearing loudly. Sara planted a boot on his ass and held him down, glancing around to see if there was any pursuit. Nope. No angry bystanders. No Flash, either.</p>
<p>“Guess it was just your lucky day,” she informed her captive, lifting a brow as she realized that it wasn’t a purse or shopping bag that he still had clutched in a fist. No, that was the sort of reinforced money bag that armored car guard transported cash in. “Oh, it really was, wasn’t it? How’d you get away with that?”</p>
<p>The guy had apparently realized by now that it was only one small blond woman who’d taken him down, and responded in a way that, to him, must have seemed appropriate. He spat out a particularly disgusting word and tried to rise. Sara merely rolled her eyes and dug her (sharp) heel into his tailbone, getting a howl, then looked around again. She’d expected someone else to be here by now.</p>
<p>She could zip-tie this guy’s hands and leave him for the cops, but it was far too possible someone else would find him before that, and she didn’t really want to walk away holding bags of cash. That was the sort of thing that could be misconstrued. But…</p>
<p>“Hey!”</p>
<p>Aw, he’d had an accomplice. Sara whipped around, bo at the ready, but almost as soon as she’d seen   the man rushing toward her, a rush of blue-white energy had enveloped him, and…</p>
<p>He froze.</p>
<p>Literally.</p>
<p>Sara lowered her weapon, blinking, as the ice-coated figure stared back at her. Everything seemed to be coated and holding him in place except his eyes and nose, and he looked just as baffled as she did at the moment.</p>
<p>Asshole on the ground made a noise. Sara returned her foot to his back, getting a squawk.</p>
<p>“He’ll be OK. Once he thaws.”</p>
<p>The voice was somehow vaguely familiar, though cloaked in an insouciant drawl that sent shivers up her spine. Sara narrowed her eyes, watching the figure that sauntered toward her from beyond Felon the Snowman. They…he?...stopped just out of obvious weapon range, watching her.</p>
<p>Sleeveless coat of what seemed to be white and blue leather, hooded, concealing the newcomer’s face. Muscled arms coated in…ice?...up to the elbows. Tight blue-black pants…</p>
<p>She jerked her eyes up to the shadowed face. “Who the hell are you?”</p>
<p>The impression of a smile…no, a smirk…on that face. “I should be asking you that. This is my city, after all.”</p>
<p>“I didn’t realize that it had an owner,” Sara retorted swiftly, shifting her weight—just in case. “The question stands.”</p>
<p>A low chuckle, amused in a way that should be thoroughly annoying, but wound up just being…oh, hell, she wasn’t falling on the basis of a <em>voice</em>. And he didn’t answer the question. “You looking for someone? Only one of the reasons I can think of for so…blatantly…kicking ass in public.” A pause. “In costume.”</p>
<p>The crook under her foot let out a strangled noise. “Really?” he managed. “You’re gonna do a whole ‘meet cute’ thing <em>now</em>?</p>
<p>They ignored him.</p>
<p>Sara put a hand a touch self-consciously to her white mask. Laurel had told her that she didn’t need it, that she should “walk in the light,” but… “Looking for the Flash.”</p>
<p>An impression of a raised eyebrow. “Aaahhh. Why?”</p>
<p>“We have mutual friends. I need to introduce myself.” Bouncing back a little, she lifted an eyebrow at him. “Whereas I’m pretty sure I’ve never heard of you.”</p>
<p>She nearly laughed out loud at the offended attitude-yet-amused he gave off. “<em>Me</em>? You…”</p>
<p>A streak of red-gold light interrupted me, though, swirling around them before resolving into the shape of a man…a red-clad man who blinked at them from behind his mask. “What the…” he started.</p>
<p>Sara promptly interrupted. She didn’t necessarily want Mr. Tall and Icy to know who she was. “Flash. I think my…sister and my friends…told you I might be in town now.” She glanced down at the thief on the ground. “Figured I’d bring you a present.”</p>
<p>The first man jerked his head back toward her, but Sara ignored him, staring expectantly at the costumed hero she knew was Barry Allen. Barry opened his mouth, but he was interrupted yet again.</p>
<p>“Flash,” her icy friend said in that low drawl again. “I thought the idea was that you were taking a <em>break </em>tonight.”</p>
<p>The speedster darted an exasperated—yet somehow fond—glance at the other man. “Well, given that there was an armored car robbery near here…and Cis…the others reported that you’d <em>turned off your comm</em>, they thought I might need to intervene.”</p>
<p>Sara still couldn’t quite see the ice man’s eyes, but she definitely got the impression he was rolling them. “I wanted to talk to <em>her</em>,” he said with an air of exasperation. “Without the peanut gallery listening.”</p>
<p>She couldn’t help it. Those words--“I wanted to talk to <em>her</em>”—sent a certain rush of warmth through her. Still, Sara tried to keep her sudden smile from showing, focusing on Barry as he reacted to the comment.</p>
<p>Oddly enough, he seemed inclined to smile too—though he quickly hid it. He glanced back at Sara, a serious expression pasted on his face, and nodded to her, clearly getting who she was.</p>
<p>“You’re welcome here,” Barry said almost formally. “You’re right. Your sister and…uh, a certain mutual acquaintance…told us you might be moving to Central. Wasn’t sure you planned to, um…”</p>
<p>Barry gave her a once-over, clearly taking in her costume, then blushed furiously as if he suddenly realized what he was doing. The other man looked torn between amusement and annoyance.</p>
<p>“You didn’t bother to tell me?” he darted at Barry.</p>
<p>“Not my story to tell.” The speedster recovered. Sort of. “Uh.” He glanced at Sara. “What…what are…who…”</p>
<p>The question was slightly obvious. “White Canary,” she told him, with faint emphasis on the first word. “Pleased to…meet you.”</p>
<p>Barry nodded in obvious relief. “Right. White Canary.” He waved at the other man, who’d given a low hum of some recognition. “Well. Meet Captain Cold.” He grinned at Cold’s sigh. “He’s on our side. I think. Though he certainly likes to take me down a peg when he can.”</p>
<p>The ice man muttered something that sounded vaguely dirty, which just made Sara like him all the more. “Well,” he drawled, ignoring Barry’s continued blush, “someone needs to.”</p>
<p>“You’re a meta too,” Sara said to him, a faint note of question in her voice. It seemed obvious, but…</p>
<p>The man held up his hands, nodding as they glazed over with ice again. “Mmhm. Haven’t always been using it like this…had to get control first…but figured might as well use it on the side of the…” Sara got the impression that he’d cut his eyes sideways at Barry, smirking. “…angels.”</p>
<p>Why that would make the Flash blush, Sara had no idea, but she couldn’t help grinning herself. Cold was definitely bi or pan, she decided. He was flirting rather madly with her, but he was happily messing with Barry too.</p>
<p>“Well,” she purred back, “angels don’t have to be boring, right? Angels are bad ass.”</p>
<p>That earned her another hum of approval, and he put a hand to his hood, almost as if to pull it back…</p>
<p>Barry interrupted. (Sara later decided she might never forgive him.)</p>
<p>“Two of you,” he muttered. “Great.” He glanced at Cold. “Wait for the cops? They’ll be here soon, and they know you. They don’t know…Canary…yet.”</p>
<p>Cold sighed. But, with what Sara interpreted as a regretful look at her, he let his hand drop and nodded. Barry gave them both a slight smile, then flashed off, leaving them both looking down at the sprawled would-be crook on the ground.</p>
<p>“Listen, I’ll give you…!” The man tried to interrupt, but Cold pulled him to his feet with a sigh as Sara moved aside, ignoring the attempted bribery.</p>
<p>“Sorry, ain’t happening,” he informed the other man. “Rethink your life choices. I did, sort of, once. Got people who’ll be in touch.”</p>
<p>Sara tilted her head at him, but Cold didn’t elaborate.</p>
<p>“I got this,” he told her instead. “If he said the cops will be here soon, they will. We’ll make sure they know you, but this probably ain’t the time or place.”</p>
<p>Sara couldn’t argue. She hesitated anyway. “You’re OK?”</p>
<p>“Peachy.” That sexy drawl lowered several octaves. “I’ll be seeing you, Canary.”</p>
<p>“Promise?” Sara bantered back.</p>
<p>“Cross my heart.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
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